Water ski shoe attachment



Oct. 25, 1966 R. B. BROCK 3,280,411

WATER SKI SHOE ATTACHMENT Filed July 13, 1964 INVENTOR.

United States Patent O 3,289,411 WATER SKI SHE ATTACHMENT Robert B. Brock, Battie Creek, Iowa Filed July 13, 1964, Ser. No. 382,191 2 Claims. (Cl. 9-310) My invention relates to a water ski attachment.

An object of my invention is to provide la special type of water ski attachment in which the water skier can wear shoes at any time desired on the beach, etc., and thence can readily attach the shoes to the skis directly by simple natural operations.

A further object of my invention is to provide this arrangement ina relatively economical and simple construction and which can be manufactured at a reasonable cost.

A further object of my invention is to provide this arrangement in a construction in which the shoes or sandals can be readily pulled out of the device when necessary.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts of my device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of la Water ski with the device of my invention attached thereto,

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged sectional View taken along the lines 2-2 of FIGURE 1, and

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged sectional detail taken substantially along the lines 3 3 of FIGURE 1.

My invention contemplates the provision of Ian arrangement for water skis, and wherein the skier can, by merely wearing a pair of shoes having certain characteristics, be able to insert the shoes directly into the skis for proper use.

In describing my invention I have used the character to designate the forward portion of the ski, the character 11 indicating the forward end thereof, and in providing my device I use a pair of members 12 which converge forwardly as shown, the members 12 being attached by means of suitable bolts 13 to the portion 10.

The member 12 are made of resilient or flexible material such as plastic or the like, whereby they can be resiliently bent when necessary, and I have further used the character 14 to indicate a toe piece suitably attached by means of the bolt 15, the said toe piece including the indented portion 16 merging from the portion 17.

The character 18 indicates the forward portion of a at leather or other member which provides the sole of a shoe or sandal portion 19, the member 18 including a raised portion 20 adapted to snap under the portion 17 into the cavity 16, the member 14 also being made of a substantially resilient plastic.

The members 12 include the iiat horizontal portions 21 which continue into the integral angularly bent portions 22.

It will be now be noted from the foregoing structure that the skier by wearing these particular types of shoes, sandals, etc. above described, can Walk around the beach or can walk practically any place desired, and when he is ready for skiing will merely insert the members 18 into the members 12, the members 18 including suitably sloping sides yas at 23 to conform to the portions 22, whereby "ice the feet will be firmly held, and also the forward portion of the member 18 will be moved forwardly so that the portion 20 will be received Within the cavity 16.

This arrangement then provides a fairly rm retention during the skiing action. However, in case the skier is dislodged from the skis, the portions 22 and 17 include suiiicient resiliency so that the feet can be conveniently dislodged.

It will be noted that the various appendages on the standard skis can be removed and the present arrangement attached thereto by merely using suitable templates or other marking means and with the proper holes drilled in the ski and the like.

It will now be seen that I have provided the advantages mentioned in the objects of my invention with further advantages being apparent.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my invention without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

1. A water ski shoe attachment comprising a retaining member adapted to be attached to a water ski, a shoe, means I'attached to said shoe and to said retaining member whereby said shoe will be attached to said retaining member, said retaining member being suiciently resilient to provide means whereby said shoe can be dislodged therefrom, said retaining member including a pair of forwardly converging laterally spaced resilient angle members, a forward toe piece having a resilient downwardly directed protuberance, said shoe having a forward upwardly directed indentation adapted to be engaged in said protuberance.

2. A water ski shoe attachment comprising a retaining member adapted to be attached t-o a water ski, a shoe, means attached to said shoe and to said retaining member whereby said shoe will be attached to said retaining member, said retaining member being sufficiently resilient to provide means whereby said shoe can be dislodged therefrom, said retaining member including a pair of forwardly converging laterally spaced resilient angle members, a forward toe piece having a resilient downwardly directed protuberance, said shoe having a forward upwardly directed indentation adapted to be engaged in said protuberance, said shoe including a sole portion providing normal walking means, said sole portion having sloping side walls adapted -to engage said resilient angle members, said angle members having sloping portions for engaging said sloping sole portion.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,246,152 6/ 1941 Wallace 36-112 FOREIGN PATENTS 925,155 3/1947 France. 501,555 7/1930 Germany.

821,162 11/1951 Germany.

MILTON BUCI-ILER, Primary Examiner.

ALFRED E. CORRIGAN, Examiner. 

1. A WATER SKI SHOE ATTACHMENT COMPRISING A RETAINING MEMBER ADAPTED TO BE ATTACHED TO A WATER SKI, A SHOE, MEANS ATTACHED TO SAID SHOE AND TO SAID RETAINING MEMBER WHEREBY SAID SHOE WILL BE ATTACHED TO SAID RETAINING MEMBER, SAID RETAINING MEMBER BEING SUFFICIENTLY RESILIENT TO PROVIDE MEANS WHEREBY SAID SHOE CAN BE DISLODGED THEREFROM, SAID RETAINING MEMBER INCLUDING A APAIR OF FORWARDLY CONVERGING LATERALLY SPACED RESILIENT ANGLE MEM- 